You're My Hero
by KatBlue
Summary: Freshman revamped. Buffy deals with her troubles of being a new college student and her extracurricular activities take on a whole new level. She realizes something in her life that will make this college experience much more fun.Ch3.
1. Chapter 1

You're My Hero. Freshman revamped. Buffy deals with her troubles of being a new college student and her extra-curricular activities take on a whole new level. She realizes something in her life that will make this college experience much more fun.

It's night time in the cemetery and Buffy Summers is pacing back and forth. Willow is seated cross-legged and reading papers. She is helping Buffy decide what classes to take for Fall semester at UC Sunnydale. Willow suggests Introduction to the Modern Novel. Willow looks up at her friend, who didn't seem too excited about the class.

"I'm guessing I'd probably have to read the modern novel."

Willow nods her head and smiles at her friend.

"Do they have an introduction to the modern blurb?"

"That sounds like a class Xander would take. If he were going to college. I wish I could convince him though." Willow smiles. It has been a while since they had talked about her old friend, Xander, who decided to see the world and go cross country over the summer. They hadn't heard from him all summer and hoped that he was okay.

"Will, Xand's made his mind up and I might think of the same, but I won't. Maybe I'll convince him to take the class with me and keep me company." Buffy smiles at that. She loves thinking of Xander. Boy did she miss him this summer.

"He'd be your little puppy you take to school." Willow laughs at that. "Oh! Short story. Oh, no. It conflicts with Psych."

"Hmmm, I'm not too psyched about Psych."

"You gotta. I-It's fun, a-and you can use it as your science requirement. Anyway, Professor Walsh is supposed to be great. She's like, world-renowned."

"How do you get to be renowned? I mean, like, do you have to be 'nowned' first?"

"Yes, first there's the painful 'nowning' process. Wait! 'Images of Pop Culture.' This is good. T-They watch movies, T-TV shows, even commercials."

"For credit? Didn't Xander take that class in high school?" Buffy laughs.

"Heh. Isn't college cool?"

"How'd I miss that one?"Buffy walks over and sits beside Willow. She sighs and looks at her friend.

"Well, you did sort of wait till the last minute with your course selection."

"Sorry, 'Miss I-chose-my-major-in-playgroup.'"

"That's an exaggeration. I just, you know, think it's good to be prepared. Don't want to be caught unawares." Behind them a hand thrusts up out of a fresh grave.

"Well, I've been busy! It's been a very slay-heavy summer. Haven't had a whole lot of time to think about life at UC Sunnydale. Hey, do know when Xander's coming back?" Buffy turns to her friend.

"Nope. I bet he's having fun traveling to new places and all. I think it's the smartest thing he's thought of since I've known him." The two girls laugh at Willow's remark, then a vampire's head and shoulders emerge from the grave behind them. They still didn't notice. "It's exciting, though, isn't it? You know, college?"

Buffy smiles at her friend, "Yeah! It's gonna be an adjustment." The vampire struggles to climb up from the fresh grave that the girls are waiting for. "Giles said I have to be secret-identity gal again. Maybe I should wear glasses like Clark Kent. Yes, studious Buffy who unbeknownst slays vampires at night."

Willow raises her eyebrows up at her friend, "That never really worked for Clark Kent. I mean, glasses don't really hide your identity."

"Just a thought, Will." Buffy shrugs.The vampire makes its way out of the grave and starts walking toward them, his face vamped out. He thinks his first kill will be too easy.

"It's gonna be tough, though... with a roommate."

"I'm psyched about college." The vampire smiles as he gets closer. He stops as he sees weapons stacked against a gravestone. Buffy nods her head assuring herself that she can deal with it all. "Just need to figure out how it's going to work with my extra-curricular activities." The vamp looks at Buffy, his smile is gone. "I just can't let it take the edge off my slaying." He shakes his head, turns, and walks away. "I gotta stay sharp." Buffy looks behind her toward the fresh grave. "Is this guy ever gonna wake up?"

* * *

Buffy makes her way through the crowd of college bound students, really giving the vibe that she is a freshman. She gets some flyers from some guys, then meets up with Willow. They each exchange a couple of flyers and then meet up with Oz. The girls then decide to check out the library. It's a mini mall compared to that of Sunnydale High. They were even told shhh, because they were speaking too loudly. 

"I'm thinking Giles would feel right at home here," says Buffy as quietly as she can. "Home away from home." They laugh quietly and exit the library, then head for the bookstore to buy their books.

Buffy is carrying a ton of books and Willow has a basket full of them. They are mingling around, trying to find the last of their books.

"I kind of liked it when the books were free," says Buffy. "It was so much easier."

"Yeah, but education now comes at a price," says Willow.

"Maybe I should charge my Slayer saving the day routines. I'm going to take it up with someone high and mighty with money."

"Right, Buffy. Oh, maybe Donald Trump."

"Maybe."

"And you'll be Buffy Summers, protector of the people. Making 300,000 a year. No less."

"Wow, Wills. Thanks for giving me a bonus."

"Welcome. Oh, the psych book is up there."

"I'll get'em. You know, this store discriminates against short people."

"Oh, I think there's a protest next week. Oh, Buffy, never mind. There are some down here."

"Good. I wasn't going to get anywhere stretching up to get those books."

"Come on. Let's go pay."

Buffy meets her roommate, a perky girl by the name of Kathy. Buffy believes she can handle her. The campus life is not the same as Sunnydale High and Buffy has realized that she's definitely not in Kansas anymore. She just wishes she had Xander with her, its no fun without him. He always makes her feel better. It's totally a different world for Buffy and she is stuck in it.

The next day, first day of classes, Buffy didn't start very well, but as soon as she met up with Willow in Psych class, she felt much better. There she met the infamous Dr. Maggie Walsh and her very attractive TA, Riley Finn.

* * *

Meanwhile that night, a car is just entering the streets of Sunnydale. It stops near the cemetery, where the person spots some military uniformed men move into the dark and creepy cemetery, one of many in Sunnydale. The man in the car thought that these guys are crazy and decides to investigate their whereabouts. He gets out of his car, but first looks into his bag for some sort of weapon. The man curses himself for not having a stake at least, but he did have a small knife. He then enters the cemetery, keeping a tactful eye on the soldier and even more on the vampires. 

The soldiers really surprise him as he watches them from afar taking on a vampire, but instead of impaling it with a stake, they shock the vampire and wrap him up. The soldiers, who are masked, then take the vamp away. The Sunnydale resident finds it strange for these men to know of vampires and take them alive or functional. He didn't like this one bit, but decides to make his exit before he gets spotted by the soldiers.

"Riley," says one of the soldiers. "The civilian of this car seems to have gone into the cemetery. Do you suppose he spotted us?"

"Negative," replies a man named Riley. "Though I should check it out. Scope the area, make sure he's safe."

"I think we should bring him in if he saw us," says another soldier. "This could blow our cover."

"I'll handle it." Riley quickly changes in the van and comes out looking like a regular college student. "Joe normal will handle it. Head back to base." The soldiers did as they were told and drove off. Riley then heads to the side of the cemetery.

The other man hid behind the wall on the side of the cemetery. He needs to get back to his car, but then spots trouble. It should be his middle name instead of Lavelle. Riley moves pass the wall and sees the vampire. He quickly gets in defensive and the vamp comes to him.

"Man, are you crazy?" says the guy. "Run!" The man then pulls out his knife and throws it at the vamp. It lands in his chest. The vamp laughs at the man, but stops. Then the man tackles the vamp.

"This guy is crazy," says Riley to himself.

The vamp shoves him off and the man falls to the ground. Riley then decides to fight the vamp. The man sees this civilian fighting the vamp and he is really good. Then he notices that this vamp proved to be a little stronger than he'd hoped for. He looks around and sees a tree branch hanging from a tree.

"I need a stake." The man starts to crack the bark by kicking it. As soon as the branch was loose, he pulls the rest of it apart and the branch was now a pretty good stake. The man quickly runs over to Riley and the vamp, then stakes the vamp in the heart. Dust flows all over the two and they both cough.

"Thanks," says Riley.

"No problem."

"What's your name?"

"Alexander Harris. My friends call me Xander." Xander shakes Riley's hand.

"Riley Finn."

"Got pretty good moves, Riley."

"You're not so bad yourself, Xander. Why did you go into a cemetery?"

"To see the dead." Xander says this jokingly.

AN: Don't worry there is more. The Xander speech is coming cause that's the whole point to the story as you guessed it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2. You're My Hero.

"How do you know about vampires?"

"How do I not? My friend got taken by one and turned. I had to kill him myself. It wasn't pretty."

"Must have been bad. Sorry."

"Not your fault. How did you find out about them?"

"Umm. I actually didn't know, but the probability of some creepy looking guy stalking a cemetery and then disintegrating into dust once impaled by a stake, it's a pretty dead giveaway."

"Guess you're right. How long have you been here?"

"Um, this summer. Just moved in. Do you go to UC Sunnydale?"

"Nah, but my friends do. You a student?"

"Yeah, transferred in."

"Big mistake." Xander starts to walk away from Riley and exits the cemetery.

* * *

Buffy goes on patrol and she spots a student she remembers seeing in Psych. When she gets closer, she sees that he's a vampire now. Buffy quickly dusts him, still saddened that he had gotten taken by evil. She then looks up and sees a gothic chick, with blonde hair and some of her other vampy friends around. They know who she is with her kill.

"I'm... I'm Sunday, I'll be killing you here in a minute or so," says the vampire.

"I'm scared," says Buffy sarcastically. "What kind of lame name is Sunday? It really strikes fear."

Sunday gets angry and starts to fight. Their fight takes off from car hoods, to roof tops, and back to the ground. Sunday is strong and Buffy gets a hell of a beat down. She twisted her left arm and when Buffy had the chance, she runs away from the vamp crew.

"Freshmen!"

The following day, Buffy is entering a building and she sees Willow and Oz, but decides to avoid them. She heads to her house and finds out that her mom is using her room as storage space. She hoping for some resting time in her old bed but no such luck.Then she hears the phone ring and answers it. No one speaks, so she hangs up.

She heads to her dorm and finds that all of her stuff is missing from her room. There is a note saying that 'Buffy' couldn't handle the pressures of college life. She sits on her plain bed and sighs.

Later that night at the Bronze, Buffy enters and sees no one she recognizes. She looks over to the couch finding it comforting, then she hears a familiar voice from behind her.

"The whole world in front of her, and she comes back to this crazy place," says Xander. Buffy turns around and sees him.

"Xander!" Buffy says as she gives him a one-armed hug. She is so happy to see him.

"Hey, Buff. Are you okay? You're hurt." Xander touches her face slightly and sees that her left arm is wounded as well.

"It's nothing."

"It's something, well, on me it would be something really bad. You know me; I'd be in the hospital."

"That's not true, Xander. You can put up a fight."

"Not with you."

"Well, maybe you could now."

"Buff."

"When did you get back?" Buffy changes the subject.

"Yesterday."

"You freak of nature. Why didn't you call me?"

"Well, I knew you guys were starting the whole college adventure and I didn't want to, um, you know... help you move."

"I missed you. How was your trip? Is America nice? I hear it's nice."

"There's some purple mountains majesty, I'm gonna have to say."

"What'd you do? What'd you see?"

"Well…"

"Tell me!"

"'Grand Canyon!'"

"You saw the Grand Canyon!"

"Well, I saw the movie 'Grand Canyon,' on cable. Really lame."

"Huh?"

"Basically, I got as far as Oxnard and the engine fell out of my car, and that was literally. So, I ended up washing dishes at 'The Fabulous Ladies Night Club' for about a month and a half, while I tried to pay for the repairs. No one really bothered me or even spoke to me, until one night when one of the male strippers called in sick and no power on this earth will make me tell you the rest of that story. Suffice to say, I traded my car in for one that wasn't entirely made of rust, came trundling back home to the arms of my loving parents, where everything was exactly as it was, except I sleep in the basement and I have to pay rent. How's college?"

"Male strippers?" Buffy smiles at him.

"No power on this earth!"

"Ok. College is good."

"Ok, uh, once more with even less feeling."

"No, really! I-I mean, Willow's in heaven and Oz has this really cool house off campus with the band." They both sit on a couch nearby.

"And you're sitting here alone at the Bronze looking like you just got diagnosed with cancer of the puppy."

"It's just... there was this vampire, and she took me down, and I just... I don't know how to stop her."

"Then where's the gang? Avengers assemble! Let's get it going!"

"No, I don't want to bug them. I mean, they're just starting school. They don't need this."

"Ok, Buff, what's the 'what' here?"

"It's just, what if I can't cut it?"

"Can't cut what? Slaying?"

"Slaying, everything."

"Buffy, this is all about fear. It's understandable, but you can't let it control you. 'Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to anger.' No wait, hold on. 'Fear leads to hate. Hate leads to the dark side.' Hold on, no, umm, 'First you get the women, then you get the money, then you...' okay, can we forget that?"

"Thanks for the Dadaist pep talk; I feel much more abstract now."

"The point is, you're Buffy." Buffy blushes a little with the way Xander says that to her.

"Yeah, maybe in high school I was Buffy."

"And now in college you're Betty Louise?"

"Yeah, I'm Betty Louise Plotnick of East Cupcake, Illinois. Or I might as well be."

Xander gets up and crouches down in front of her.

"Buffy, I've gone through some fairly dark times in my life, faced some scary things, among them the kitchen at 'The Fabulous Ladies Night Club.' Let me tell you something, when it's dark and I'm all alone and I'm scared or freaked out or whatever, I always think, 'What would Buffy do?' You're my hero. Ok, sometimes when it's dark and I'm all alone I think, 'What is Buffy wearing?'

"Can that be one of those things you never, ever, tell me about?"

"It's a deal." He stands up. "Let's put this bitch in the ground! What do you say?"

She holds out her right hand and he helps her up.

"I think I say, thank you." Buffy leans over and kisses Xander on the cheek.

"And nothing says thank you like dollars in the waistband. Ok, what do we do first?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3. You're My Hero.

Sorry for the delay. Here is the end. Hope ya all like it.

Xander and Buffy head to do some research on Buffy's hunches. They check out some newspapers and other archives online and find a lead. Students entering college suddenly disappearing after the first day leaving a note saying 'I can't deal'.

"That's it," says Buffy. "It's gotta be them. They've been doing this for a while."

"Now, where could they be hiding?" asks Xander.

"Oh, check this article over here. It says building closed for renovations."

"What year was that?"

"82, why?"

"Cause the disappearances started to happen in 82. BINGO!"

"That's where they are stashing the students stuff."

"Plus your stuff. You up for a little reconnaissance?"

"You mean where we all sculpt and paint and stuff?"

"No, that was the renaissance."

"Oh. I've had a really long week. Let's go look at the building."

"Right."

The two head over to the building. It's pretty close to the school, making it easy for them to take the stuff from the students' dorm rooms. They find a side ladder that leads them to the top of the building. Buffy walks over to the skylight, where they could see the vamps inside.

"There they are," says Buffy, recognizing the vamps.

"Got some good stuff," says Xander. "I can't believe these vampires took your stuff. It's kind of petty."

"Yeah, guess it's the only thing they can think of."

"Buffy, maybe you shouldn't lean on that."

"Shhh…look she's…oh my gosh, that would look so bad on her."

"Buff, we need weapons."

"I don't see my weapons trunk down there. It was right by my bed. Mr. Gordo?" Buffy's voice turns to steel.

"Okay, Buff, maybe you should…"

"Go to my room, Xander. If it's not there, try Willow's. I'll keep an eye... my diary?" Suddenly Buffy feels the skylight start to give way. She stops moving and looks pretty terrified, then she looks at Xander.

"Buffy, get…" The skylight gives way and Buffy falls, but Xander quickly grabs hold of her right hand. All the vamps look up and see a dangling Buffy from the roof.

"Xander, pull me up."

"I'm trying, I'm trying." Xander loses his balance and they both fall into the building, luckily on a couch. Buffy hurt her arm again and sees that Xander is on top of her.

"Xander?"

"I think I hurt my back." He quickly gets up and helps Buffy, then they see the vamps surround them. "Got a plan."

"Oh, you again," says Sunday. "Come to get your ass wiped again? Oh, who's your friend?"

"Don't even think about it," says Buffy, pushing Xander behind her.

"Is that jealousy I smell?"

Xander looks at Buffy, then at Sunday. Buffy's eyes widen and throw a round house kick to Sunday. It knocks her down easily.

"You bitch!"

The other vamps start getting closer and Xander decides to take them on. He looks around to see what he could use on them, but finds nothing useful except one of those hard throw pillows. He swings it and hits the vamps in the face. It knocks them down.

"Man, what do they put in these things?" Xander then sees Buffy's trunk hidden in a corner. He rushes over to it.

Buffy and Sunday are fighting it out. Buffy with one arm isn't getting anywhere as Sunday punches her and she falls to the ground.

"You know this arm's not looking so good," says Sunday. "It might have to come off."

"You want to know the truth?" says Buffy on the ground. "I only need one." Buffy punches Sunday out, making her spin. She gets up and sees Xander, who tosses her a stake. Buffy approaches Sunday, who is down for the count. "Oh, one thing, in your next life, get a better a name." Buffy plunges the stake into her heart.

The other vamps scatter, but Xander pulls out the crossbow and shoots them. He gets two of them as they leave, but the other escapes.

"Nice shot," says Buffy as she walks over to Xander.

"Saw it in a movie," says Xander with a grin.

"Hmmm, my hero." Buffy laughs at that as she walks over to him. She grabs Mr. Gordo and her diary.

"Well, let's get your stuff." Xander puts the crossbow away in her trunk. They get the stuff and put it into some boxes. "We'll need to make two trips."

"Fine by me as long as you're with me."

"Is that supposed to be poetry, Buff?"

"No, it just rhymed knowingly."

They arrive at Buffy's dorm and put her stuff on her side of the room. Xander looks around and sees her roommate asleep in her bed. He then turns to Buffy, who bumps into him since the lights are off.

"Let's go outside," says Buffy. "I don't want to wake her."

The two exit the room and Buffy closes the door lightly. She turns to Xander, who smiles at her.

"Nice digs, Buff," says Xander, trying to find something to talk about.

"Thanks," says Buffy. "Um, well…"

"Well, going to go home to my lovely hole."

"I'll walk you."

"It's pretty late, Buff. Don't you have class?"

"Not until the afternoon."

"Oh."

"Come on."

The two walk down the hallway and out of the resident dorm room of Buffy. They head down the street to Xander's. The two walk to the back of the house to get into the basement, which has become Xander's humble abode.

"Welcome to Xander's." Xander shows the basement to Buffy as they walk down some steps. All his stuff is already there and he has a thin mattress on the floor as a bed. "See, I have a reversible bed slash cushion floor pillow."

"Nice." Buffy smiles at his silly ideas.

"Hey, all that stuff from the other people at that place we were they could come in handy. Couch looks decent."

"Very."

Xander collapses on the bed on the floor. He puts his arms under his head and closes his eyes. Buffy stares at him, then decides to sit down next to him. She lays back and turns to watch Xander.

"Buff, you don't have to stay here with me. And don't feel bad. It could have been worse."

"This is not a room. It's…well, the slaves had better rooms."

"I'm okay in here." Xander opens his eyes and turns to Buffy.

"Xander, you're subterranean. You're not a mole or anything that lives underground."

"I just need to get a job and maybe I'll manage to get an apartment on higher ground."

"Good. Maybe you can find a strip club in Sunnydale." Buffy laughs.

"Buffy." Xander says this in a stern voice.

"You know my birthday is coming up and I thought maybe we can have a little private session. You know me and my birthdays. Like to keep them simple."

"Simple. You want me to be your personal stripper."

"I said no such thing."

"Yeah, right, but you implied it. No power on this Earth, remember."

"Come on, Xander, I need a good story." Buffy gives him a sad puppy face.

"Nope. Not happening." Xander lies back down and looks at the ceiling.

"It's dark and you're alone, Xander. Do you want to know what am I wearing?"

"Buffy. What happened to the one of those things I never, ever, tell you about?"

"I want to know what you think, Xander, and I promise you I won't ask about your stripper days."

"Okay. Um, let me think." Xander closes his eyes and tries to imagine Buffy in his mind. "Boots, those cool, black ones you have."

"And?"

"That's it."

"What? You perv." Buffy smacks him with a pillow. He grabs hold of her waist to defend himself from her attack and she falls on top of him accidentally. She leans in and captures his lips. Xander's hand caresses her cheek and it goes into her golden hair as they continue their make-out session. Buffy then grabs hold of Xander and rolls over, having Xander being on top. They release from their passionate kiss, which Buffy seems to enjoy and gives Xander a pout.

"Buffy, I…" Xander tries to get a sentence out, but he struggles.

"Xander, can I sleep over?"

"Gotta ask my mom." Xander gives her his trademark grin.


End file.
